


Playing Nice

by mapleandmahogany



Series: Effective Immediately [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Clint has trust issues, M/M, turning on your team is not okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 06:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2498507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mapleandmahogany/pseuds/mapleandmahogany
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After shooting three SHIELD agents on Phil's team, Clint isn't ready to trust the new mercenary as easily as Phil is. Particularly not where Phil is concerned.<br/>Set Season 2, somewhere between Episode 2-3 when everyone is still pissed at Hunter and he's still grieving Hartley.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Playing Nice

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little cautious boyfriend self indulgence.
> 
> This is a stand alone coda that fits into my AoS headcanon series beginning with Effectively High.

“It’s Hunter? Right?”

“ _Bloody hell_ \--” Hunter startles, nearly dropping the beer bottle in his hand. “Ah ...that’s a good one, mate,” he says, recovering, tipping a salute with the neck of his beer. “Not many get the drop on me like that.”

Clint shrugs. He’s perched on a bench in the shadow along the wall while he re-tips an assortment of arrows. “I figured this is where you hung out.” He gestures at the space with the arrow in his hand. He doesn’t necessarily mean for it be a threatening gesture, but whatever.

“Yeah,” Hunter agrees, glancing around. Mack isn’t in the warehouse, but Koenig walks past with a couple in agents in tow. They don’t look over. This little corner is as private as possible at the new HQ. “I’ve seen you here before,” Hunter says. 

“That so?”

“Yeah. You come in, stroll right up to the boss’s office, and no one says a word.”

“Maybe I’m just here on classified business? It’s kinda like Spy-Mart around here, if you haven’t noticed. SHIELD agents don’t talk about what they see.”

“Was starting to wonder if you were a ghost or something. Everyone acts like they don’t _see_ you at all. Not even Koenig gives you a second look.”

“Really? Huh,” Clint says, but he isn't actually sound surprised.

“It’s just, you’re a little bit famous, that’s all.”

Clint raises an eyebrow. “Aw, did you want me to sign something?”

“Har-har, piss off. Should I even be talking to you?”

“Sure. I was actually waiting for you.”

Hunter pales. “Why? Are you here to kill me? Look, I’ve been doing my penance for the thing with Talbot, and playing nice with everyone, I swear.”

“Nah, man. If I was going to kill you, it’d be done already. I don’t banter with my targets.”

“I’d say that’s comforting to know, and yet not much, actually.” 

Hunter ever-so-casually positions himself so that a short stack of inventory boxes are between them. 

Clint glances at the boxes, then at Hunter, understanding what he’s doing. “Hey, man. You know who I am I guess, but” --he hops off the bench and offers his hand-- “I’m Clint.”

Hunter takes a step back when Clint comes forward but then cautiously reaches over the boxes to shake hands. 

“Lance. If you like.”

“Cool. But seriously, I meant it when I said I wasn’t here to kill you. Mostly. I mean, I am gonna threaten you a little bit? Make no mistake. But that’s not the same.”

“Sure, sure.” Hunter nods. “I’ve been threatened by most everyone here, so what’s adding an Avenger to the lot?”

Clint squinches a little bit. He’s accepted his new job, even if the title still sits uneasily, but Hunter notices his reaction.

“Oh. Is that it, then? I shouldn’t say the A word? That’s why you chat with the Director, I get it. Iron Man who? I have no idea. What?”

Clint laughs and leans back on the bench and waves the arrow in his hand dismissively. “That part’s okay, actually. No, it’s personal business. That's what I'm here to talk to you about.”

“Personal? Forgive me, but we just this second met, and you want talk personal?”

“Mm-mm.” 

Hunter stares for a second, puts the bottle of beer down on the crates and rubs his face with both hands and then blinks back up at Clint.

“Sure. Why not? It’s a new world. Where do you want to start? You wanna talk about our mothers? Ex-wives? I got stories.”

“We should definitely cover ex-wives one day. But no, I was thinking more about current attachments.”

Hunter’s expression dims, the cautious bravado giving way to actual sadness for a moment.

“I’ll go first,” Clint says. “The business I have with the Director? That’s… that’s it. That’s why no one talks about it.” 

Hunter seems to think for a minute before squinting at Clint.

“Wait. You mean…you and he?”

“Yup,” Clint says. 

Hunter’s mouth gawps for a second. “I thought he and May were…” he waves a hand. 

“Well,” Clint says with a shrug, nodding. “There’s some history there. You pick up on that, too, huh?”

“They’re pretty tight, yeah. Are you being serious right now? You’re fucking Coulson?”

Clint sharpens his glare. “Dude. Were you just _fucking_ Hartley?”

“You’re skating a line there, mate,” Hunter says softly, calm but cold. “You don’t even know--” 

“Hey, I’m real sorry for what happened to her—" 

“For what ha –what _happened_ is she blindly followed orders that got her killed. Her last moments full of tortured agony and I’m the one who—" Hunter cuts himself off when his last words sound thick and wet and stick in his throat. If he takes a moment to compose himself, Clint doesn’t comment on it.

“Yeah, I actually do get that, too,” Clint says quietly, after giving Hunter a moment with his emotions. “Coulson died, and he suffered, and I played a hand in it myself.”

Hunter looks over his shoulder at Clint with a tired and bitter expression. “And yet, he’s right up there in the top office, isn't he? Calling all the shots. You’re not suggesting I’ll get Izzy back, are you?”

Clint gives him a one sided shrug. He’s already accepted that maybe nothing was impossible or permanent anymore, not even death, but he isn't going to be so insensitive to Hunter’s pain. Clint remembers how it felt and knows how lucky he is to have Phil back. 

“Hartley followed Coulson’s orders for a reason. A lot of people are safer because of what SHIELD gained in that mission.”

“Wasn’t worth it,” Hunter says through gritted teeth.

“It was. Sorry, man, I am! But the mission is—"

“I. Don’t. Care. I was only in it for the money. Even Izzy knew that.”

“You don’t get to be that shit-head anymore, okay?! Money doesn’t even mean what it used to. If you’re not working against HYDRA then you’re working _for_ them. They twist it like that. But you can do good _here_.” Clint pokes his finger into box in front of him.

Hunter shakes his head but Clint can see him wearing down.

“Coulson believes in you. He kinda has a soft spot for fucked-up assholes who hate the system.”

Hunter snorts and takes a pull of his warming beer, and gives Clint a long hard look. Clint waits patiently.

“And why are you telling me all this again?” Hunter asks.

Clint takes a breath, and reaches for his quiver, sliding the arrow into its place.

“Coulson thinks you’re worth keeping around. At this point, he’s really trusting Hartley more than he’s trusting you. But me? I _know_ what it is to lose that one person. What I’d want to do to the person I felt was responsible. I get that, man, I really do.” 

Clint slings the quiver over his shoulder and takes a step toward Hunter. 

“And it’s for that reason I wanted to be plain about what we’re talking about. Because if you’re here to get on the inside, to get close to him, so you can get your revenge? Well, I get why you might do that. But I wanted you to know who it is that will be killing you, and why.” 

Clint maintains steady eye contact, and Hunter can’t look away. 

“We understand each other?”

Hunter swallows. “I think it’s clear, yeah.”

“We’re good then.”

There’s a moment of quiet between them as the tension breaks apart. Hunter paces a few steps and then faces Clint again. 

“It’s not even like that, you know? Izzy believed in SHIELD. And in Coulson. She wanted to be here, so that’s why I’m ...I’m trying to honor that. That’s all. I swear.”

“Good. She was a good agent.” 

“Yeah she was.”

Clint extends his hand and Hunter accepts it once again, feeling more understanding this time.

“Alright, well. We’re cool then.”

“Death threats and all. Yeah, sure, we’re cool.”

Clint wants to laugh a little bit. He appreciates Hunter’s sense of humor but he isn’t about to recant his warning. Not where Phil is concerned. “I guess we can go back to not talking again?”

“Works for me, mate. I ...won't be seeing ya.”

Clint throws him a half-assed salute and heads up to Phil’s office.


End file.
